


Just Passing By

by Freidynne



Series: ArkKine collection [1]
Category: MapleStory
Genre: Drabble, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Short One Shot, Specters kinda tsundere sorry???, Typed this on my phone, lending a hand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 06:39:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16969602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freidynne/pseuds/Freidynne
Summary: Ark accepts help when he needs it the most.





	Just Passing By

**Author's Note:**

> :)

 

' **Text** ' = Spectre talking

 

_Text_ = Character thoughts.

 

"Text" = Regular speech

 

' _Text'_ = Kinesis Voice projection. 

 

* * *

 

Staying alone, only does so much for so long.

 

* * *

 

Pain.

 

A sensation that Ark had become close to. 

 

Whenever he found love, it was ended abruptly.

 

Pain.

 

Whenever he tried to fight spectres, he would tear their forms apart without mercy.

 

Pain.

 

Whenever he tried to protect others, he would only end up doing the opposite.

 

".........."

 

Whether he caused pain or felt it, Ark's life has been surrounded by the chaos that came with it.

 

This is why he stayed alone. Because whatever he touched with his tainted hands, always fell apart.

 

* * *

 

 "This is..... fine.... I'm.... fine...."

 

He tells himself again and again, clutching his glowing arm.

 

He breathes in and out, controlling the pain that surged through his body.

 

All Ark has to do is stay calm, focus on his surroundings and breathe. It was a routine he had developed, something he should be used to by now.

 

Well he 'should be'.

 

_Stand tall, look tough and be strong._

 

 

Those were words that someone had told him long ago.

 

 

But no matter how much Ark tried.....

 

He was never as strong as he made himself look.

 

 

With a final breath, he closed his eyes and let himself be pulled into the endless abyss.

 

* * *

 

  **'You know you're just as weak as me.'**

 

 

Standing across from him in this dark realm, was a demon he knew all too well.

 

 

"If you pulled me in here to talk, then get out."

 

 

The Lev was getting so sick and so tired of these mind games. He didn't like thinking about the negativity his life was drowned in, but the more he thought about it....  the more he despaired.

 

 

They fought. For a long time. Dodging, lunging, jumping, kicking, Ark was using everything he could. But it wasn't working.

 

 

' **Oh? Try again?'**

 

 

"Shut up."

 

 

He wiped the sweat from his brow, seemingly trying to catch his breath.

 

 

**' I know you're tired.. so just give me control and you can relax from here.'**

 

Ark didn't respond to that obvious lie. At times he did find everything to be so hectic. No matter how hard he fought against fate and what it threw at him, sometimes it became too bothersome to deal with.

 

 

Ark was tired.

 

 

He was tired of being controlled by a demon within him.

 

 

He was tired of the pain and destruction he caused not to others but also to himself.

 

 

But more importantly, he was tired of being alone.

 

 

' **Alone? Really? Cry about that when you're dead.'**

In one moment, the Lev loses his footing that throws his balance off. And of course, spectre doesn't let this chance go to waste.

 

* * *

 

 Ark screamed at the spectre's claws plunging into his upper shoulder. He struggles to pull his hand out of his shoulder but to no avail will the spectre budge.

 

_Cmon! Move!_

 

The man pulled and pulled at the figure sitting on top of him, but nothing worked.

 

_Damn!_

 

He might not live this round and he might never get to find a way to be normal again. 

 

 Was this it? Does he give in here? What does he do? 

 

**'Give up'**

 

And at that moment Spectre raised his claws up for his finishing attack.

 

* * *

 

 Kinesis blinks. 

 

There was a lot of strange phenomenons he had seen in Maple World. Slimes, Evil Eyes, and other monsters that looked horrible but tasted quite good.

 

But right now was a tall man infront of him with weird ears, leaning on a red tree in Elinia.

 

The hero gently touched the latter's shoulders before moving onto feeling his face.

 

"He's freezing."

 

Kinesis looks into his inventory and grabs out a thick blanket and covers the man.

 

Being the person he is, Kinesis can't leave someone who needs help alone. No matter how dangerous or even scary they might be.

 

"Hello~? This is a horrible place to be napping~"

 

No response.

 

 The man infront of him was seemingly unconscious, breathing heavily as a ominous aura pulsed from his  arm.

 

That doesn't look good.

 

Kinesis thinks he should atleast help the poor guy out. After all, he should be trying to help as many people as he could... since that's his job. 

 

So he does.

* * *

 

 

"I know just the trick, don't worry."

 

With one step forward, he presses his hand towards the stranger's head.

 

Actually, Kinesis doesn't know what he's doing at all. 

 

But hey, he's going to try something new with powers and maybe it'll work out like a miracle.

 

Well, Maybe.

 

With that said, a bright light glows through his bracelet and engulfs the entire forest.

 

* * *

 

  _'Hey'_

 

Spectre stops mid attack and looks around for the voice that just spoke.

 

' **Who?!'**

 

There was a small light emitting from the abyss. No matter how many times the spectre tried attacking it, it would not fade. 

 

Upon gazing at this light, Ark couldn't help but feel at ease.

 

_'You're having a nightmare if you are hearing this.'_

 

The voice echoed through the darkness. 

 

Who? And what was this? This had never happened before...

 

' _Please wake up.'_

 

But no matter what it was, it gave Ark the strength to continue.

 

_'Wake up and stop drooling all over the place, please..'_

 

And with that, for the first time in his life.. Ark had reached out to the light for help.

 

* * *

 

 

... What..

 

He thought miracles don't exist but.. he actually woke up.

 

The first thing the Lev notices, is that he is wrapped in a thick warm blanket.

 

 

 It seemed like someone was here afterall.

 

He slowly sits up but his vision was still a bit blurred from the events.

 

 

"Hey"  He tried speaking to his claw arm.

 

But spectre did not respond to his call.

 

It was dark in the forest, all noises from the whispering faeries and activites of the monsters in this ecosystem had gone silent.

 

There was no one in the forest other than him. This time, Ark might truly be alone.

 

 

But that voice from earlier? Was that just a coincidence then?

 

 

Normally Ark would've left unconcerned. He would've moved onto the next city, alone. But that was because no one had helped him before.

 

But now it was different.

 

Maybe he killed whoever helped him uncounciously?

 

But if that were the case, he would've been covered in carnage.

 

Maybe they ran away after seeing how monstrous he was.

 

Strangely enough, Ark doesn't believe in that statement.

 

_The blanket!_

 

Right he almost forgot.

 

It was proof that someone was here. 

 

Ark turns back to pick up the blanket that was given to him.

 

The blanket was covered with a black and white checkered design and lightly floral scented.

 

Soft...

 

In that brief moment he was holding the blanket, it became a lantern in the darkness of the forest and the abyss in his mind.

 

It was warm and comforting enough to make Ark forget about his troubles just for a moment.

 

And that moment was all he needed to fully regain his will to continue fighting.

 

For now, he hopes to find the one that saved him from the darkness, so he could thank them properly.

 

So he began searching.

 

"Whoever you are, thank you."

 

* * *

 

 "Hello?~"

 

A voice calls out to him during his slumber.

 

 

Right. He fell asleep in the forest again.

 

 

The morning sun peaked out behind the figure gazing at him from above.

 

The figure was a shorter man with styled black hair, red lips and lavender eyes that adorned his relaxed face. 

 

"Pretty.." he breathes out.

 

 

"Oho~ thank you."

 

The man beams at him and stretches his hand out towards him.

 

Ark flushes, did he say that outloud?! He swore he didn't. 

 

' **Idiot**.'  Spectre chuckles. 

 

"Hey, are you going to keep gawking or should I just leave?"

 

The man blinks, waiting for his response.

 

"W-wait!"

 

Ark takes his hand immediately and is pulled up. Upon examining the man, he seems to be wearing a button up shirt with a red tie. 

 

His abundance in bracelets and rings seem to make Ark believe that this man was of royalty.

 

Was he a prince? 

 

No...

 

 

 And here Ark never believes in fairytales and miracles but.. this man defies everything he just said.

 

 

"Wow that's more like it. I'm glad to see that you didn't freeze to death yesterday." 

 

 

The man smiles radiantly at him.

 

 

"I... were you the one who gave me this blanket?"

 

 

"Yeah thought you could use one for that nasty nightmare you were having."

 

 

Ark smiles.

 

"Thank you. I should return this, you must need it"

 

 

Ark hands out the blanket he has carefully holded over.

 

"Keep it. To be honest, I think that you might need it more than me. You do quite a bit of camping unprepared."

 

 

Camping? More like passing out because of a spectre is trying to take over your body.

 

 

But sure the term 'camping' works.

 

 

"My name's Ark."

 

 

He does a little Levian bow to greet the 'prince' properly.

 

 

"Strange name for a strange elf, I suppose."

 

 

"I'm not an elf."  Ark frowns, making the human 'Prince' chuckle softly.

 

 

' **Are you sure he's not a snowy prince?'**  Spectre's voice rings out in his head.

 

The Lev was way too busy staring at the man infront of him right now to hear anything.

 

"I was kidding. Anyways, my name's Kinesis."

 

"Strange name for a strange human" 

 

"Yeah, definitely strange."

 

Kinesis chuckles before running a hand through his hair.

 

He should really get going. After all nothing stays too good for too long with Ark being here.

 

 

"Hey Ark?"

 

 

"?"

 

 

"Hate to break it to you, but you were kinda talking in your sleep."

 

 

Ark starts sweating, what did he say? Out of all the horrible memories and screaming, what did Kinesis hear him say?!

 

 

"Uh I can explain-"

 

 

Instead of scrutiny from the shorter male, he recieves a gentle pat on his head. The human lightly runs his fingers through the Lev's hair before retreating.

 

 

The spectre shrieks nervously but doesn't seem to pull away from the soft sensation.

 

"Remember that people are tougher than they look, so trust them next time, okay?"

 

"Ill see you around."

 

Kinesis turns around and waves to him before wandering back to town.

 

 Ark is still left wondering about who is this man, or what he said in his sleep... but for now,

 

He really hopes he sees him around too.

 

* * *

 

"You're awfully silent."

 

Ark looks at his arm that contained the spectre's energy.

 

When trying to probe its mind, the spectre didn't respond.

 

"You like him?" The Lev questions, before recieving silence once more.

 

' **He's just a pretty face. Nothing more.'**

 

The spectre finally responds back, but there was no real hostility in his statement. 

 

Instead he felt spectre moving his claw arm, reaching out towards the blanket to wrap it around himself.

 

"You like him. A lot." Ark clarifies, knowing that the spectre probably doesn't do so well with these kinds of emotions.

 

' **Shut up.'**

 

That was the final thing the monster said to him before he went back to training.


End file.
